The Pictures Tell the Story (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Grace shows Steve and Catherine the project she's been working on for the wedding.
**Notes:** Mari and Sammy – EEE! We're almost there, ladies! Thank you for the support, the laughs, and for being the best of the best. And thanks to Sammy for the title!

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your incredible enthusiasm and support! We have the best readers in the world, and it is such a joy having you on this ride with us.

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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 _The Pictures Tell the Story (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Sitting at the table on the deck of the beach house, Grace polished off the last forkful of her dinner with gusto. "That was _really_ good chicken salad, Auntie Cath. I liked the grapes and apples in it."

Catherine smiled at her. "Thanks, hon."

"You're like Nonna. Everything you make is really good."

Catherine raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Well, that's very high praise. I don't know that it's true, but thank you," she said as Steve returned to the deck from a quick trip to the kitchen for a second helping.

"Don't you think so, Uncle Steve?" Grace asked.

"What's that, Gracie?" Steve asked, retaking his seat beside Catherine.

"That everything Auntie Cath cooks is really good."

Steve nodded, a forkful of chicken salad and spinach already halfway to his mouth. "That is true, yes."

Catherine laughed. "It helps that you'll eat anything."

Steve shrugged in acknowledgment, swallowing the bite. "Doesn't make it less true. Just makes me lucky."

"Ohhhh," Grace said, sighing wistfully. "That's so romantic."

"Speaking of romantic," Catherine said with an amused smile as Steve grinned around another forkful of chicken salad. "Should we look at this project you've been working on for so long?"

Grace brightened instantly with excitement. "Yes! Let me get my laptop." She jumped up and ran into the house, returning a few seconds later with a bag over her shoulder. Pulling out her computer as she sat back down, she opened it and brought up the video slideshow she had spent hours painstakingly putting together.

"You guys gave me _so_ many great pictures," she enthused. "And so did Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Joseph and Grandma Ang. And Aunt Deb sent some, and Carrie had a bunch from the Academy."

Steve chuckled. "I bet she did. Lemme guess . . . moony eyes?"

Grace giggled. "Maybe a little."

She pressed play and then moved the laptop so that Steve and Catherine could better see the screen. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she watched their faces as the slideshow began.

Catherine shifted closer to Steve, wrapping her hands around his bicep and resting her chin on his shoulder, her eyes focused on the screen. He stopped eating, putting his fork down, his attention similarly captured.

The artistically arranged photos seamlessly appeared, eliciting a range of responses including grins, soft smiles, and quick shared glances as Steve and Catherine watched everything from baby pictures to a candid shot of the two at Steve's birthday dinner Grace had snapped herself earlier that year.

The final photo was an image of the two on the beach near sunset loosely holding hands during a family get-together, their backs to the camera but their profiles visible as they looked at each other. As it faded from the screen, Grace waited anxiously for their verdict.

"Oh, Grace," Catherine said, blinking at the tears in her eyes. "That was . . . wow."

Steve cleared his throat, his voice slightly roughened with emotion. "Yeah."

"And you're sure it's okay?" Grace asked in a rush, hands on the table in a nervous pose. "I don't want to do anything you don't want, 'cause this is your wedding, not mine. I don't want you to say yes just because . . . well, just because it's me asking."

Catherine reached over to cover her hand. "Grace, honey, it's _incredible_ ," she said sincerely. "And while it's true that part of the reason we said yes when you suggested it was because it's you, we also said yes because we want to do it. Believe me, we wouldn't say yes if it wasn't something we were okay with doing."

"That's right," Steve agreed.

"And now that we've seen the final product . . ." She shared a confirming look with Steve. "It's amazing. We'll be thrilled to have this as a part of our wedding day."

"Really?" Grace asked, her face breaking into a massive smile.

Steve nodded and spoke earnestly. "We will. This is very special, Gracie. It . . . it's not just pictures, it tells a story." He leaned forward to meet her gaze at eye level. "Thank you for putting this together. It means a lot . . . how much you care."

Grace beamed with pride at their reactions and turned the laptop back toward her.

"So I just need to know what song you're going to dance to so I can make sure it's all timed perfectly."

Steve and Catherine exchanged a look, both wincing slightly.

"Yeah . . ." Steve began.

"We've kind of been putting that off," Catherine finished.

"Why?" Grace asked.

Catherine gave a little shrug. "Well, we don't really have a song like some couples do."

"You don't?"

"I'm afraid not."

Grace looked distressed. "But you are going to do the first dance together, right?"

"Yes," Steve said before Catherine could answer. She looked at him, and he smiled. "Of course we are."

She smiled her agreement and turned back to Grace. "But that's probably it for the formal dances. I don't want the reception to be just checking things off a list. We're only going to do the traditions that mean something to us."

"What about the father/daughter dance, Auntie Cath?" Grace asked with wide eyes.

"I–" Catherine began.

"You have to dance with your father, Catherine," Steve insisted.

Grace nodded emphatically. "He's already picked a song."

Catherine's look held both surprise and amusement. "Has he?"

"Yeah, I think he's really looking forward to it," Grace said. "He says he remembers the first time you danced together."

Steve smiled. "I bet I know when that was. I've seen a picture of you as a little kid, standing on his feet at a base party."

"You mean this one?" Grace asked and quickly pulled up a file. She turned the laptop toward them, and Catherine tilted her head, smiling fondly at the photo.

Three-year-old Catherine in a white dress stood on Joseph's shiny shoes, her arms raised to hold both his hands for balance. Father and daughter were grinning at the camera.

"That's one of your dad's favorite pictures," Steve said. "Your mom's, too."

Catherine smiled. "Apparently I insisted on wearing that dress."

"Why?" Grace asked.

"That was my three-year-old interpretation of 'dress whites,' " Catherine answered with a smile. "I wanted to match my dad."

"Aww," Grace sighed.

Steve nodded to the photo, smiling softly and looking at Catherine. "Probably the only time you haven't stood on your own two feet."

Catherine smiled at him, and Grace let out another blissful sigh.

"You say the most romantic things, Uncle Steve."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Do I?"

"So you need a super romantic song for your first dance," she reasoned without missing a beat. "I can help you find one." She began typing quickly on her laptop. "Oh! Here's a list of 200 popular first dance songs."

" _200?_ " Steve asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

"There's even video clips so you can hear them . . ." Grace continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Oh, and lyrics! That's good. That way you can check and make sure there isn't something icky."

"For 200 songs?" Steve said again, running a hand across the back of his neck to cover his incredulity and hesitation.

Catherine hid a smile and patted his arm reassuringly. She looked at their niece kindly. "You know, Grace, I don't think we're going to find the right song by searching a list. But don't worry. Inspiration will strike."

"Besides," Steve said, his eyes softening as he looked at Catherine. "It's not the song that matters, it's who you're dancing with."

She smiled, covering his hand on the table with hers.

Grace sighed once more, looking at them dreamily. "See? You say the most romantic things."

Breaking their gaze, they smiled at her.

A wide grin split her face, her fingers curling into excited fists. "Ohhhh, just think . . . in ten days you're going to be _married!_ "

"And what are you going to do afterwards, hon?" Catherine asked, smiling affectionately at her. "When you don't have a wedding to help plan?"

"Go into business making photo slideshows?" Steve said, nodding at the laptop.

Grace rolled her eyes. "Uncle Steve," she groaned.

"What? I'm not teasing. I'm serious. You're good," he said. "I mean, I'm not an expert, but that was impressive."

She straightened proudly. "You really think so?"

"I do."

Grace giggled at his words.

"What's so funny?" he asked, looking at her, then Catherine who was smiling in amusement. Realizing his choice of words, he smiled as well. "Ah."

Grace put her hands together under her chin, grinning toothily. "Ten more days," she said again, an enthusiastic lilt in her voice.

Steve looked at Catherine and echoed quietly, "Ten more days."

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 **Hope you enjoyed! The big day is almost here! Stay tuned as guests begin to arrive on Friday and the REAL World Wedding Marathon kicks into high gear!**

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